Fearless Creative Leadership

"The Courageous Conversationalist".  Pam Kaufman is the President of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products. Her job is to lead worldwide licensing and merchandising for Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures. Pam's job is to expand the relationships that Viacom and Nickelodeon have with their audiences. And she does that by building personal relationships in every part of her work. She also b...

"The Courageous Conversationalist".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation.  Pam Kaufman is the President of Viacom Nickelodeon Consumer Products. Her job is to lead worldwide licensing and merchandising for Viacom Media Networks and Paramount Pictures. Pam's job is to expand the relationships that Viacom and Nickelodeon have with their audiences. And she does that by buildi...

"The Existentialist".  Brian Collins  is instantly memorable. He's a designer by profession, practice and passion. He is an original thinker, and a storyteller. He founded and owns an award winning business. And he's a man of a thousand voices. You'll hear what I mean.  He also asks compelling questions. This episode is called "The Existentialist".

"The Existentialist".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Brian Collins is instantly memorable. He's a designer by profession, practice and passion. He is an original thinker, and a storyteller. He founded and owns an award winning business. And he's a man of a thousand voices. You'll hear what I mean.  He also asks compelling questions. This episode is called "The Exist...

"The Successor".  It's hard to follow a legend. Sometimes because they're unique. Sometimes because history is written by the winners and they write themselves that way. John Hegarty - Sir John Hegarty - is the former. A true original thinker and the creative head of what - for a number of years - was one of the most creative companies of all time. Following a legend is a challenge. Following a le...

"The Successor".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. It's hard to follow a legend. Sometimes because they're unique. Sometimes because history is written by the winners and they write themselves that way. John Hegarty - Sir John Hegarty - is the former. A true original thinker and the creative head of what - for a number of years - was one of the most creative companies...

"Owned By No One - Part 1". I'm just back from the Cannes Lions festival of creativity and recorded some podcasts while I was there. This is the first of them. The topic is the idea of Nils Leonard - founder of Uncommon and a guest on "Fearless" a couple of years ago. Creativity requires risk and uncertainty. Two attributes that the business world has developed powerful resistance to. Want to try...

"Owned By No One - Part 1". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Creativity requires risk and uncertainty. Two attributes that the business world has developed powerful resistance to. What then of the flip side of ownership? When you own the company yourself? Does that more easily produce the conditions in which creativity and innovation can thrive? In this conversation Iâ...

"The Legacy Builder."  Josh Wyatt is the CEO of Neuehouse. I've been producing this podcast for over two years and have interviewed almost a hundred leaders. In my role as a confidant and advisor to some of the most creative leaders in the world, I've gotten to know many more.   This conversation with Josh Wyatt has stayed with me in the days since we recorded it, as much as any of them. Josh want...

"The Legacy Builder".  A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Josh Wyatt is the CEO of Neuehouse . He wants to make a difference, for his family, his friends, his partners and his talent - his description for the people that work for him. Josh's desire and determination to make a difference are not unique. The circumstances of his life, the environment that created that desi...

"The Honest CEO". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Joanne McKinney is the CEO of Burns Group - an advertising brand consultancy and innovation company. She's worked on the agency and client side. She's lived and worked in the US and in Europe. She's started her own company, been named one of 24 global agency innovators by The Internationalist, and has succeeded at ever...

"The Honest CEO". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Joanne McKinney is the CEO of  Burns Group - an advertising brand consultancy and innovation company. She's worked on the agency and client side. She's lived and worked in the US and in Europe. She's started her own company, been named one of 24 global agency innovators by The Internationalist, and has succeeded at eve...

"The Boy Scout". I first interviewed Eric Baldwin two years ago when he and his new partner Jason Bagley came on the show, 6 months  after they had been named to run  Wieden + Kennedy Portland . I wanted to talk to him this time about what he's learned about leadership two years later with two agency of the year titles under their belt as well as being named Fast Company's most innovative marketin...

"The Boy Scout". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. I first interviewed Eric Baldwin two years ago when he and his new partner Jason Bagley came on the show, 6 months after they had been named to run  Wieden + Kennedy Portland . I wanted to talk to him this time about what he's learned about leadership two years later with two agency of the year titles under their belt a...

"The Dancer". Julie Kent has not always been Julie Kent. The Kent name was suggested to her by Mikail Baryshnikov when he asked her to co-star in his film The Dancers just after he had watched her audition for the American Ballet Theatre in New York.  Julie went on to become the longest-serving ballerina in American Ballet Theatre's 75-year history, and performed as a principal dancer for 23 years...

"The Dancer". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Julie Kent has not always been Julie Kent. The Kent name was suggested to her by Mikail Baryshnikov when he asked her to co-star in his film The Dancers just after he had watched her audition for the American Ballet Theatre in New York.  Julie went on to become the longest-serving ballerina in American Ballet Theatre's 75-...

"The Transparent Leader".  Nancy Dubuc is the CEO of Vice Media . When she took over the job just under a year ago, she was inheriting two of the hardest circumstances for any leader. She was replacing the founder. And she was stepping into a crisis. Actually several. There were reports that there was a pattern of sexual harassment at Vice among senior male executives and that HR had been unsuppor...

"The Transparent Leader". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Nancy Dubuc is the CEO of Vice Media . When she took over the job just under a year ago, she was inheriting two of the hardest circumstances for any leader. She was replacing the founder. And she was stepping into a crisis. Actually several. There were reports that there was a pattern of sexual harassment at Vi...

"The Removal Men".    If you're interested in unlocking creativity in the people around you then Wieden + Kennedy is a real-time case study. Like all great creative companies, it is three-dimensional, and no two sides look the same. Understanding how and why it works means looking at it from several angles.   In earlier episodes, I've talked to Colleen DeCourcy , who has a global perspective; Eric...

  "The Removal Men". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. If you're interested in unlocking creativity in the people around you then  Wieden + Kennedy is a real-time case study. Like all great creative companies, it is three-dimensional, and no two sides look the same. Understanding how and why it works means looking at it from several angles. In earlier episodes, I've tal...

"The More-Than-Me Leader".  Alex Goat is the CEO of Livity , a self-described, "youth-led creative network". Their purpose is to create a more positive life for young people by partnering with marketing, talent and policy clients. Their goal is to make youth culture that creates change. Alex is on a mission to make the world better. It gets her up in the morning and it keeps her up at night. 

"The More-Than-Me Leader". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Alex Goat is the CEO of Livity , a self-described, "youth-led creative network". Their purpose is to create a more positive life for young people by partnering with marketing, talent and policy clients. Their goal is to make youth culture that creates change. Alex is on a mission to make the world better. It g...

"The 'I Don't Know' Leader". Rick Brim is the Chief Creative Officer of Adam&Eve/DDB - one of the world's most creative companies.   Rick is down to earth, self reflective, supportive and passionate. He cares a lot. Adam&Eve/DDB are perhaps most famous for the annual John Lewis Christmas campaign that produces one of the standout commercials of the year. For this and for many other reasons, they g...

"The 'I Don't Know' Leader". A 15 minute edited highlight of our full-length conversation. Rick Brim is the Chief Creative Officer of Adam&Eve/DDB - one of the world's most creative companies.   Rick is down to earth, self reflective, supportive and passionate. He cares a lot. Adam&Eve/DDB are perhaps most famous for the annual John Lewis Christmas campaign that produces one of the standout commer...

"The Ambitious Leader".  Susanne Preissler is the founder of Independent Media , an advertising and entertainment production company that represents a group of some of the best known film and television directors around - from Ben Affleck to Janusz Kaminski to Tony Goldwyn. Susanne is also a leader of intention and determination. She has high standards, a point of view and an innate ability to sol...